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@uiten giants atrnt @fitta IMPROVED PROPELLER.

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Be it known that I, F. G. FowLnR, of Springfield, in the county of Sangamon, and State of Illinois, have invented a. new and improved Propeller and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which i Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same, the line :v x, tig. 1, indicating the plane of section.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of propellcrs which are provided with a series of feathering or oscillating blades. These blades are attached. to horizontal arms which extend from a vertical central arbor. The feather-ing of the blades is produced by a stationary eccentric with which each blade is connected. A chain-wheel is secured so as to turn when the eccentric turns, around which achain passes, and also around another chain-wheel, whieh'is attached to a vertical shaft which enters the pilot-house, and upon the upper extremity of which is placed the tiller or wheel, and so arranged that when the tiller is turned by the pilot the eccentric will be turned, by which means the pitch ofv the blades'ean be varied, and the propeller caused to exert a propelling force in any direetion,thereby serving the double purpose of a propeller and rudder.

The nature of my invention and its peculiar advantages will be understood by the following description. It is located at the stern of the vessel, and the bearings which sustain it may be arranged in any desirable manner y that will hold it in a proper position and at suiicient depth in the water.

My propeller consists of a shaft, a, stepped in a suitable bearing, and terminated at its upper end by a crank, or any other 4suitable device, whereby the power of an engine may be applied to give. it a rotary motion. From the shaft extend two (or more) arms a', constructed with diverging extremities. These arms are swordshaped, or otherwise so formed as to meet with little resistance in their passage through the water. The blades a are rectangular in form, and attached to the extremities of the arms by hinges placed on their vertical central line. Surrounding the shaft a, and extending from the arms to the upper bearing of the shaft, is the loosely-fitting tube or sleeve E, to the lower end of which is attachedan eccentric, E. From the strap which surrounds this eccentric extend the radial rods e', which are attached to the blades by pivots, placed a distance equal to the throw of the eccentric from the vertical central line of the blades.. 'Yet the distance may be'more or less than that if it is desired to increase or diminish the pitch of the blades. The length of the rods e must be such that when the wide side of the eccentric extends at vright angles with the arms the blades will also be at right angles with the arms, as' at m n, fig. 2. The blades will then be inclined to the arms, `when the eccentric extends in a direction parallel with the arms. At the upper extremity of the sleeve Een@ secured to it, is placed the chain-wheelr. Around it passes the chain i", which also passes around a corresponding chainwheel, r, which is secured to the vertical shaft s. This shaft enters the pilot-house, and to its upper extremity is attached the wheel or tiller s, the arrangement of the various parts being such that when the tiller is turned by the pilot the eccentric will bc caused to rotate upon the shaft of the propeller. v

Its operation is as follows: Let the wheel or tillcr be turned by the pilot till the wide side of the eccentric extends in a direction opposite the stern of the vessel, or that indicatcdby arrow 2, fig. 2. l Ifvthe propeller is in motion in the direction of arrow 1, a blade 'in passing the point m is at right angles to the arm. As it passes that point its rear edge is gradually drawn in by the eccentric-rod attached to it, till it arrives at the point p. As it passes that point its rear edge is gradually forced out till it arrives at the point n, when it is again at right angles to the arm. AS it passes that point it is still further forced out till it arrives at the point q, whenit is again gradually drawn in till it arrives at its original position, meanwhile exerting a propelling force throughout its entire circuit, except the two dead-points m 1t. If the wheel be turned by the pilot so that the wide side ofthe eccentric extends in an opposite direction, the inclination of pitch of the blades will be reversed, and the pro peller will exert its force in the opposite direction If the eccentric be turned ninety degrees either to the right or left the force of the propeller will be exerted laterally, either to the right or left. If the wheel be released by the pilot, so as to permit the eccentric to revolve with the propeller, the blades will cease their oscillating motion and it will exert no propelling force. Thus, by properly operating the wheel or tiller, the force of the propeller may be exerted in any direction, and the vessel may be caused to move forward, backward, or revolve upon its axis, or it may be caused to cease exerting a propelling. force, and the vessel brought to a state of rest without stopping or modifying the engine. This propeller may be adapted to submarine boats by having its shaft placed in a horizontal position and being placed near the middle of the boat, when it can be made to exert a propelling force forward, backward, upward or downward, causing tlic-vessel to move forward or backward, or to sink below the surface of the water and :rise again.

What I claim as new and useful, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The eccentric e, in combination with the blades a hung on pivots placed on their vertical central line, and revolving in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

2. The chain-wheels r and chain r', or their equivalents, in combination with the eccentric e and blades a,

arranged in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shown.

F. G. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

I. T. CARMAN, A. DAVIDSON. 

